It’s late November, the one year anniversary of the GSB Intranet. It seems timely to reflect on the ways the intranet has served the GSB community as I inaugurate a new addition to our tech services: a blog on GSB technology.
First, a word on blogging. The word “blog” derives from weblog, a log of reflective thinking that is web-based. Blogs can be text narratives, or can add visual elements. Blogs can support links so that readers can be led to additional resources. Perhaps most interesting, blogs can invite comment. I hope my blog on technology at GSB will do all of the above.
As a reader, you’ll notice I’m using a third-party host for my blog. The reason is simple; the template supports a variety of features not easily accessible through our intranet. The GSB Intranet was created for a variety of purposes and not surprisingly, it may not be the single best tool for certain dedicated uses. So via a quick link, you’ll be able to keep up with GSB technology and offer commentary on ideas and initiatives.
A year in, what can fairly be said about our intranet? Here are 4 key points to consider.
1. The intranet has given every class a web site. This gives teachers another instructional tool to use as they strive to meet curricular goals.
2. The intranet helps students stay up-to-date.
3. The intranet has become an efficient communication tool for the school.
4. The intranet provides an accessible library of important school documents.
When teachers are provided with web sites, they use them. There were teachers who created web sites in years past, but it was an effort. Now that the sites are provided, usage is impressive. As a school, we do not dictate how each teacher will use his or her site. That’s why sites vary widely. So do classroom environments and teaching styles. To me, this variety is the hallmark of a vibrant learning community.
Regardless of division at GSB (Lower, Middle and Upper School), our students are remarkably busy. They practice music, compete on school and town teams, learn lines for plays, build robots, volunteer their time to worthy causes, participate in religious life, join clubs and out-of-school organizations and partake in family events. And they need to be fully aware of class responsibilities. It’s not easy….just ask any fully engaged student. The GSB Intranet has been critically helpful to many students as they seek to manage their schedules. They know there is a go-to place for assigned work, and it’s always available. No longer do they need to call a friend or try and catch-up with a teacher after school.
It’s not just students who rely on our intranet for key information. More and more, parents are finding that the information they seek is posted on the intranet. Need a permission slip for a Lower School trip? Want to read the Middle School student handbook? Looking to peruse Upper School Unit offerings? In the past, these and other documents might have been mailed home, or sent home with students or emailed. The intranet provides a uniform platform for postings that features convenience and accessibility in a paperless environment. And let’s not forget our Headmaster’s blog. Located on the home page, Mr. Rowell offers regular reflections on school life.
Though less obvious to our families, another intranet function is as a host site for internal documents. For instance, employees who need help from our operations staff make a request using an intranet-hosted task request form. Similarly, business office forms related to school employment are also intranet hosted.
A year in, the GSB Intranet has become an integral communication and teaching tool for our school. As is the case with all relatively new technologies, you can be certain that uses of the intranet will continue to grow and develop, in ways both predictable and unexpected. And I think that after a year, it’s time to give a school-specific name to the “GSB Intranet.” An early favorite is offered by Derek Martin (US English Department): KnightsNet. Aside from the urge to use a clever name, it would be nice to have a name that is distinctly different from the word “internet.”
Your suggestions are welcome. Post below.
